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Andrew Fogliato

Andrew Fogliato – The G is silent –  is the owner of Real Estate Magazine and Just Sell Homes. He mostly talks about marketing but sometimes ventures into other topics in the real estate world. Sometimes he also writes bios in the 3rd person.

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These agents are members of the struggling majority.

But real estate is not a transactional business; it’s a relationship-based business.

If you want more clients, you must maintain your existing relationships and find ways to interact with more people more often. And most importantly, you need the right skills to develop trust and rapport with others.

The most successful realtors project a harmonious balance between these four key attributes:

• Professionalism
• Confidence
• Friendliness
• Authenticity

When you watch the best of the best, this balancing act seems completely natural, as if they were born this way. But these naturals are exceedingly rare. Most masters of relationship selling have studied human interaction and internalized the techniques they’ve learned until they became habitual and an integral part of their personality.

This isn’t “being fake.” On the contrary, it’s consciously becoming a better version of yourself.

What about you? Ask a close friend for their honest opinion. If you are not clearly projecting all four of the key attributes in your human interactions, consider how you could improve. Most agents are weak in at least one of the four.

 When you are honest with yourself, and you work to improve your core competencies, you’ll be surprised how quickly people become drawn to you. 

 Translation: You’ll have all the business you want without ever chasing it.

Professionalism

Professionalism is not about how you dress or what kind of car you drive. I know plenty of snazzy-dressing, shiny-Beemer-driving agents who are otherwise entirely unprofessional.

Yes, your car should be shiny and clean, and no, you shouldn’t wear flip-flops to your listing appointment. But these things are superficial.

It’s a thousand times more important to consistently maintain a high level of integrity and the burning desire to deliver outstanding results. Having high integrity and being true to your values isn’t always easy, but it’s essential if you want to develop a reputation as a trusted expert. That’s my definition of a true professional. 

But how do you achieve this? Professionals place high importance on improving their knowledge and skills to consistently deliver exceptional results. Think about it. Isn’t this the reason why we seek advice from a professional? For their expertise?

If you adopt this mindset, you’ll be paying cash for that new BMW before you know it, rather than stretching your finances to pay a lease you can’t afford merely to give the illusion you’re a professional.

Confidence

The more knowledge you gain and skills you develop, the more confidence you will naturally exude. However, even if you feel very confident, you must determine if that confidence is coming through in your voice. Ask a close friend for feedback.

Be careful not to overdo it — people are attracted to quiet but firm confidence — not boastfulness. 

Here are a few tips to increase your confidence level:

1. Always make steady eye contact. 
2. Listen to learn twice as much as you speak.
3. State your opinions with conviction (to do this with sincerity, you must thoroughly understand your craft).
4. Prepare and practice. For example, if you’ve got a newly developed listing presentation and haven’t practiced it thoroughly, you’ll probably not sound very confident.

I’m a proponent of the Deep Practice method: 

• Practice small chunks at a time. For instance, rather than practicing your entire listing presentation all at once, just practice one segment;
• Repetition, repetition, repetition. Do it quickly, do it slowly, do it differently. But keep repeating the action.

Friendliness

Whenever you are in situations where you’re talking to people, whether on the phone or face-to-face, you want to come across as a friendly person, especially with Amiable and Expressive communication styles (half the population).

(Read more about communication styles here: Why certain people drive you crazy)

This also applies to email messages. Don’t overdo this but sprinkle some friendly into your email messaging, especially near the beginning of your relationship. 

When I say, “Don’t overdo it,” I mean be aware of who you’re talking to. Many people do not react well to extremely boisterous overly-friendly people. They see it as fake and off-putting.

That said, your natural friendliness is a key advantage, so use it, but if you want more success, you need to improve the other three attributes as well and constantly seek out that harmonious balance.

By the way, I think of myself as a naturally friendly person, but I’ve been told by friends that I sometimes come across as grumpy and disinterested. This feedback has helped me have better self-awareness, so I’m more conscious about this part of my persona in both work-related and social situations.

Self-awareness is the key to self-improvement. So, ask for feedback, be conscious of your delivery, and make adjustments as necessary.

Authenticity

When you study sales techniques, being “yourself” is not discussed much, but it is highly effective in a relationship-based business, such as real estate. You should always look for ways to better connect with your prospects and clients.

This is why I hate scripts (except when memorizing the critical points of a presentation). No matter how smooth you think you are, your prospects can feel when you’re reciting from a script.

Being genuine can’t be faked. If you’re dead honest and your clients know you have their best interests at heart, and you thoroughly understand your craft, why do you need a script for anything?

It’s much more fun and satisfying to be yourself and speak to your clients in the same way as you would a friend. 

Conclusion

In case you’ve never heard this before: People do not particularly like salespeople.

Be a friendly, professional, confident, authentic provider of valuable information and expertise.

Ted Greenhough

After Ted Greenhough’s first year as a Realtor, he earned between $590,000-$865,000 every year for 12 consecutive years, all as an individual agent, without ever once making a cold call, reciting a canned script or doing any other “salesy” stuff. Now he runs Agent Skills, an online learning program for agents across North America.

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I have worked hard to stay on top of the latest trends and have made the commitment to design systems that utilize modern technology to ensure that things operate very smoothly and efficiently. However, I have always felt that while I always move with the times and am known as a trendsetter, that I do not ever want to lose sight of the value of building meaningful relationships and keeping a personal touch in all that I do.

Social media, and all the modern conveniences at our disposal, are certainly part of effective business systems and strategy, but customer care and service are still the most important elements in how we approach the work that we do. While clients definitely appreciate the ease and comfort of modern convenience, they also tremendously value quality service that has a personal feel to it.

People want and need to feel as though they matter – as though they are more than just a sale. They want a personal approach that is honest and has integrity; and they want someone who is responsive and understands them.

I firmly believe that building healthy relationships has to be at the forefront of everything. We can’t make sales without respectful business partnerships and personal relationships. Communication is a vital piece, but so is appreciating clients for who they are, and where they are and what they may be going through at any given time. I always like to ask questions and make it a point to listen. Taking the time to find out more about individuals and families that we are engaged with is essential in providing the best quality care.

While much of our communication may come through emails, social media and our web presence, there are many things that we can still do that help to build relationships with people and provide them with the comforts of knowing that we are thinking about them.

I rarely miss a birthday. And I make an effort (without prying), to try and find out what is happening in people’s lives. The addition of new family members or the loss of loved ones have significant impact on the day-to-day routines in our lives. Every day, people go through something that impacts them in positive or in challenging ways.

I use the word balance often in my life, as it comes into play for me every single day. We can still send something for a digital signature, but also we can personalize emails, send texts or arrange FaceTime (or Zoom) to make sure that we have some contact that has a personal component. I like to think of this as a healthy marriage between technology and a personal touch. If you live in the same area, people still love sitting down to have a coffee.

We have spent much of the past two years functioning in different levels of isolation. With many restrictions being lifted, we need to adapt once again and try and remember how to be social (and safe). In most parts of the country, we can see people again, which invites the opportunity (for those who feel comfortable) to meet face-to-face, share tea or coffee or drop off birthday cards.

One specific thing that I would like to share, that I have received some very positive feedback on, has been the creation of original caricature drawings for people as housewarming gifts. It is fun and personalized and never fails to surprise and excite people. It is just a special touch that’s a little bit more personal than swag or standard gifts.

Our businesses rely more and more on evolving tech, but we still need to engage with people. Without this, people are more likely to feel as though they are a number or a dollar sign. Real estate connections are personal and can be emotionally charged. We need to be aware of that and be at our very best when we are out working with clients, not just sorting through mounting administrative tasks.

People will value and respect the work that you do if you are professional, responsive and thorough; but they will refer people to you more readily if they feel that you have all of those elements AND that you have a genuine interest in building a valued relationship and looking after their needs.

There is no shortcut here. Take the time to personally connect with people and the rewards will be a better business, improved quality of care, happier people and a healthier heart.

Debbie Hanlon

Debbie Hanlon wears many hats (and sometimes a cape)! She is the award-winning Realtor, owner, broker and creative driving force at Debbie Hanlon Real Estate, based in St. John’s, NL. Debbie is also a very active city councillor, keynote speaker, published author and children’s entertainer. In her spare time she is completing an MBA and enjoying an active, happy life with family and friends at home in historic St. John’s. Contact her by email.

www.thedebbiehanloneffect.com/go/agents-the-debbie-hanlon-effect/

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Nicole Attias

Nicole Attias is the owner of Prospect2Win. Prospect2Win is a sales-based company in Canada that is dedicated to helping businesses get in the door through cold calling and presentation training. Nicole facilitates workshops and webinars for real estate agents and various real estate boards. Contact – nicole@prospect2win.com

Stay tuned for my upcoming eBook, “Transform your sales approach – More than just a cold call.”

www.prospect2win.com/

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Yes and no.

Often we are attracted to character strengths that are opposite to our own perceived weaknesses. For example, an introverted person might be attracted to a more out-going person and vice-versa. But having different communication styles doesn’t mean that we don’t hold the same values and attitudes.

Rather than thinking in terms of opposites, it’s better to think about you and your partner as being complementary to each other.

Relationship experts agree that the “3 C’s” – communication, clarity and compromise – are necessary for any successful relationship.

This is not only true in marriage, but also with friendships and business relationships.

In a relationship-based business, such as – oh, I dunno, let’s say real estate – understanding how to modify your own style to communicate better with a different style is arguably the most important skill you can learn.

It’s doubly important and doubly complex because practically every day, we’re dealing with two people at once – the married couple – who rarely have the same communication style as each other! So, how is it possible to communicate effectively with two different communication styles at once?

Let’s say you’re doing a listing presentation to a couple. One is an expressive and one is an analytical (polar opposites). How do you deal with that situation?

Amateurs will present to the person they are the most comfortable with (the one with a communication style closest to their own). That’s a massive mistake. You may think, “At least I’ve got a 50/50 chance,” but that’s completely wrong.

You think only one of them is the decision-maker? Ha! Maybe in the 1950s.

Today, couples have to agree on important decisions. If they disagree, the answer is no.

An expert presents to a couple by switching styles, back and forth, throughout the presentation.

For example, with an expressive/analytical combo, you’d better sit down before the presentation and establish rapport with the expressive partner before you even start talking about market stats with the analytical partner.

“But Ted! If I switch back and forth throughout the presentation, won’t that interrupt the flow and slow things down?”

That’s amateur thinking. Couples have already learned to appreciate their different styles and to be patient with each other. Sure, maybe it takes a bit longer, but it’s WAY more important to make an impression on both partners than it is to burn through your presentation as fast as you can.

Yes, I’m talking to you, drivers. (Drivers are the most resistant to modifying their own style.)

By the way, I’ve never met a Realtor who didn’t believe themselves to be at least a borderline expert on this topic.

And yet, the only ones I’ve met who actually were experts are those who devoted considerable time to study, practice and develop their skills, specifically in this area. It’s no coincidence that these were also the most “naturally” successful agents I’ve met.

If you think you’re a natural at this, I can assure you, you are NOT. But it’s not hard to learn. Just make it a priority to learn more about communication styles. Take a course. Any course. Please!

Ted Greenhough

After Ted Greenhough’s first year as a Realtor, he earned between $590,000-$865,000 every year for 12 consecutive years, all as an individual agent, without ever once making a cold call, reciting a canned script or doing any other “salesy” stuff. Now he runs Agent Skills, an online learning program for agents across North America.

The post How to communicate with couples appeared first on REM.

I suggest you call with a softer touch just to break the ice and build a fresh relationship. You can always fit in the business side when and if the conversation is flowing that way.

I started calling people for bigger reasons, that was more about them than it was for me. I came up with a two-plan system. Plan A was the reason for the phone call, A stands for awesome.

Anything that was fun, positive and share worthy. That’s why I was calling them. Plan B was business and I would pepper that in the conversation when, if and where it felt fitting. I never force the business conversation, I just let it flow. Watch my video and let me show you a couple of examples.

Danny Wood

Danny Wood is a public speaker for major conferences and global brands. His focus is on marketing and technology. He currently runs BrokerageNation, a collection of 200 real estate offices and over 8,000+ agents who are enrolled in his online training programs. Along with that he has a one-on-one coaching service helping Realtors implement the systems and services he speaks on. 905-903-5442. brokeragenation.com

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Is it going over and above if you personally deliver the deposit cheque because your client is at home with their newborn baby? Is it going over and above if you send them birthday cards or deliver a gift to them on closing? Is it going over and above if the client needs to see 20 properties before finding the one they love?

When we look at our actions as going over and above, we lose sight of the fact that what we are really doing is listening to our clients, delivering what is necessary and then creating a memorable experience. And isn’t that what customer service is? Shouldn’t that be a normal part of how we do our business?

If you are looking for ways to set yourself apart and create an exceptional experience for your client, here are a few things to consider.

1. Listen to what’s not being said.

Listening is one of the most important communication skills. When you actively listen, you are not only paying attention to what is being said, but also to what isn’t. What is the unique situation your client is experiencing? What obstacles will they face along the way? When you can identify hidden pain points, you can deliver solutions that will not only help the client but will also help you create an exceptional experience.

2. Redefine your measuring stick.

Your clients are the benchmark for whether you did a job well. It’s not about your expectations or even those of your past clients. It’s about the client you are working with now and what matters to them. Work with your client from the beginning to establish what the expectations are, and then find creative and meaningful ways of delivering on them.

3. Deliver the unexpected.

If you really want to create a memorable experience for your clients, deliver a bit of the unexpected. The only person who can say you went “over and above” is the client. Think outside of the box and aim to meet their needs – and then provide a little something extra.

4. Ask for feedback.

It’s easy to get caught up in the cycle of things. And when you have been running your business for a while, things become second nature. Be sure you are taking time to ask for feedback and doing frequent check-ins with your clients. This way you know you are staying on track.

5. Create a lasting relationship.

Just because the sale is done doesn’t mean your job is over. Create systems for staying in touch so that you can continue to deliver a memorable experience well beyond closing day. Taking the time to nurture the relationship you have created is the key to creating a client for life.

Instead of thinking of taking these steps as going “over and above,” consider those measures a standard part of business. Create an exceptional client experience by going truly beyond the call of a real estate agent’s duty.

Michelle Risi

Michelle Risi was named one of the Top 50 women in Canadian real estate. She is a Forbes published CEO, broker/owner of Royal LePage Connect Realty and founder of the Aligned Agent Academy. Her passion is in helping entrepreneurs create success with self-discovery, mindset and brain-based productivity tips.

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David Greenspan

David Greenspan, CEO and founder of #MindShare101 is a nationally recognized keynote speaker, trainer and coach who helps sales professionals and businesses improve their sales and marketing efforts by
bridging the gap between online and offline marketing to achieve a higher ROI on every marketing dollar spent. His direct, raw, and real approach is designed to motivate you and give you the advice you need to know.
David’s goal is to help you build MindShare, creating a top-of-mind intuitive, instinctive reaction so when people think of the product or service you offer, they think of your name first, always putting you
in the right place at the right time to take your business to the next level.

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Jennifer Queen, a sales rep with Re/Max Professionals in Winnipeg, balances her day-to-day schedule with an app on her iPhone. “I do believe in starting each week by putting the big and important tasks in, and then scheduling the rest of my week around them. I like to schedule my days to have a portion at my desk, which is usually focused on some form of income-generating activity. On a personal level, there is scheduled time at home with the family. The rest of the scheduling is then filled in as things come up, whether it be listing appointments, inspections or returning phone calls as the need arises.”

Queen finds the following helpful in maintaining balance:

• Social media can be a black hole, so she sets a timer. When the buzzer rings, she moves onto the next task.
• Setting time aside for family on a daily basis ensures she sees her children other than when they are sleeping.
• Optimizing systems at work to improve efficiencies allows for more freed-up time.

Jennifer Queen

Queen is a big proponent of leveraging. Hiring out tasks gives agents more control of their schedule.

Technology can make or break your quest for balance. Electronic devices can make our lives easier. The list of gadgets and apps at your disposal to make real estate buying and selling more streamlined is never-ending. But technology can also eat your time and leave you floundering. Keep tabs on it.

Nancy Forlini, a real estate broker at Re/Max Solutions in Montreal, wonders if a balanced life really exists.

Nancy Forlini

“It’s all in the definition that one person would give it. Balanced life for some people is working nine to five and having weekends off. For others it’s working intensively for four to five weeks and taking one week off. For others it is in different moments that you take in the day, where you can stop….take a moment and fully enjoy that moment. It can be moments that are 10 minutes in the day, or an hour. It could be just the moment where you look at your spouse and connect or the same with your children. Real estate is a wonderful profession and a business that we can design the way we want to. It’s all up to us to define for ourselves the meaning of a balanced life.”

Michael St. Jean

Michael St. Jean, a team leader and real estate agent with St. Jean Realty in Ancaster, Ont., finds time blocking helps him maintain balance. “I sit down every Sunday morning and map out every hour for the next seven days. Everything from waking up to when I go to sleep and in between. Knowing exactly what you want to do/accomplish each and every day is extremely important if you want to maximize your day and be productive. It’s not about being busy. It’s about taking calculated actions that move the needle. Too many people fill their days with unproductive activities, react to everything and go wherever the wind blows. You must have a plan.”

Achieving a balanced life does not magically happen. It takes time and attention and, as St. Jean says, a plan. Discipline is essential, as is time for reflection. Saying no when necessary is one key. It is possible to reach a place of balance when working in an always-on career.

St. Jean offers advice on maintaining balance for those new to real estate: “Real estate is a lifestyle. The idea that there is a start and finish each day is gone. You must be responsive, available and ready for anything at anytime if you want to be successful. The nine-to-five mentality does not apply here. Weekends are for people who work conventional jobs.

“We have weeks that consist of seven days and business applies at all times within a given week. It requires a real shift in mindset and lifestyle. At the same time, you have full control over your schedule. You must manage your time efficiently and block the necessary times for work and your personal life. Without proper scheduling, you are going to burn out.”

Katia Samson

Katia Samson, a real estate broker with Groupe Sutton Centre Ouest in Montreal, uses a calendar to help her stay balanced.

“Entering everything into my calendar holds me accountable both professionally and personally. From business appointments to plans with friends, workouts and vacations – it’s all in there,” she says. “With so much going on, these alerts and reminders eliminate the possibility of me forgetting something and remind me to take time for myself. Planning ahead is key. On Sundays, I schedule my workouts and prep healthy meals for the week. #noexcuses”

Samson continues, “When I’m in business mode, that’s where my focus is. When it’s finally time to unwind, I try my hardest to clear my head of anything work-related. The ultimate reward is taking a vacation – a happy place where I go to renew my energy.”

A truly balanced life includes time for yourself. Figuring out what makes you happy and then doing it is huge. Get enough exercise. Eat the right foods. Allocate time to things that rejuvenate you.

Samson leaves us with a parting thought, “Someone once told me, ‘If you’re not well rested, your client is not getting your best opinion.’ In an industry where your opinion means so much, it’s vital you gain the respect of clients and co-workers by being at the top of your game mentally and physically. This means taking care of yourself, giving in to your needs, making time for others and genuinely enjoying what you do every single day.”

Toby Welch

Toby Welch is a contributing writer for REM.

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